Metal roof for railway-cars.



Wl E. WILHAMS.

METAL ROOF FUR RAiLWAY CARS! APPLICATION FILED APR. I914.

Patvntod Mar. 14-, 1916.

3 SHEETS SHEET 1.

i. WILLIAMS.

TViETAL RUGF FOR RAILWAY CARS.

AFPLILAUON FILE?) APR u,19\-4.

Paten ted Mar. 14, 1916.

3 $HEETS*SHEET 2.

Wv E WILLIAMS.

METAL ROOF FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPUCATXON mu) APR. 5, 1914 1 175,324. Patvnmd Mar. 14, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEEY 3.

WILLIAM ERAS'IUS WILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METAL ROOF FOR RAILWAY-CABS.

Application filed April 6. 1914.

To all whom u may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Enas'rns \VILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States. residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and the State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Metal Roofs for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My roof is chiefly useful for freight cars. but may be employed on passenger cars and for other purposes.

The general practice in roof construction heretofore, has been to construct a roof framework of sufficient strength to sustain any loads or strains put upon the roof, and then provide coating sheets for shedding purposes which sheets were entirely supported by the roof structure, the sheets themselves contributing but little, if any, to the structural strength of the frame-work of the car. In many instances the metal roof sheets heretofore, have been fixed to the car in such manner that they might float to some extent to accommodate a binding or weaving of the car frame, without putting any stretching or tearing stresses in the roof sheets themselves. I

All the prior metal roofs for railway ears with which I am familiar have been supported underneath in some manner. by some sort of roof structure sustaining the roof sheets. In a few instances possibly where that has not been the case no provision has been made for the contracting and expand ing stresses that come upon the roof sheet when the car weaves and binds or is distorted by shock of impact, unequal loading, by turning curves and'going over bad pieces of track.

In my roof I provide for all stresses that may come upon the roof and yet I cause the roof sheets themselves to be the main structural framework of the roof portion of the car, and I construct this roof in such manner as to give special advantages as will be set forth in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows in transverse section the car roof and some adjacent parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the roof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view corresponding to the right side of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged vertical sections showing parts seen at the middle of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a view Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

Serial No. 829,884.

similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified construction. Fig. 7 shows the structure of Fig. 6 seen from the right. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the car as of wood instead of metal. Fig; 9 shows part of the devices of Fig. 8 looking from the right. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a. modified construction. Fig. 11

is a view looking from the right in Fig. 10.-

Fig. 12 is a detail plan view of parts seen in Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a view, on a larger scale, analogous to Fig. 11, a part on the right being in section on the line 13,13. Fig. 12, anda part on the left in section on the line 14,-14. Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12. showing a fastening clip. Fig. 15 is a partial sectional view similar to Fig. 1. but showing a modified construction. Fig. 16 is a sectional yiew analogous to Fig. 3 but showing a modified form. Fig. 17 is a transverse section showing a modified form of carline and certain roof sheet joints. Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17 but showing a slightly different construction. Fig. 19 shows in plan one corner of the roof with parts broken away. Fig. 20 shows the same corner. looking toward the end of the car. Fig. 21 is a side elevation of the corner with parts broken away. Fig. 22 is a sectional view showing simply a roof sheet joint.

In my form of construction, I use the end plates and the side plates and two carlines, the latter bein g used only on each side of the door apertures but if the roof sheets are made of sufiiciently heavy metal, construct ed in accordance with my invention these two carlines may be omitted and reliance placed entirely upon the roof sheet for the whole roof supporting structure of the car.

I prefer to make, my roof of corrugated iron somewhat in appearance to ordinary corrugated sheet iron found on the market but with very much t per corrugations and much larger ones. 'lne maximum depth of the corrugations of ordinary corrugated iron found on the market is about 5 of an inch, but I prefer to make my corrugations about inches deep and about 6 inches from center to center. This depth of corrugation makes a very stiff plate or sheet, especially when the sheet is suitably fixed at its ends.

I prefer to make my roof sheets in the form of an arch and with each sheet of metal extending across the car from side plate to side plate and when the depth and used.

number of my corrugations are considered they have the effect of making a carline at every corrugation and thus the roof sheets when properly fastened to the side plates furnish all and more structural strength to the root of the car than is ordinarily produced by the carline frame work heretofore In fact it may be stated that I make my roof out of a succession of carlines.

In the drawing 1 indicates the running board or foot board running along the roof of a car upon which the brakeman walks.

' indicates a cross block to which the running boards are attached. These latter blocks are made to fit the summits of the corrugations of my roof sheets at the center of the car.

3 indicates the corrugated roof sheet.

4 indicates the side plate when same is made of metal in my form as is shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The side plates are substantiallv Z bar sections having one flange, corrugated or fluted to fit the corrugations of the roof sheet, the flange or web 6 extending in a vertical planeand forming the edge of the roof. The other main flange or body 4, of the side plate lies horizontally and forms the flange to resist the side thrust at this portion of the car. The edge 7 of the main horizontal plate 4, of the side plate extends downward in a vertical plane and forms what may be termed the eaves proper of the roof. This flange 7 in connection with the body portion 4, also forms the track upon which rides the car door. This makes unnecessary the cost of a separate door track as is required by the constructions heretofore used.

The marginal portions of the roof sheets fit the sinuous upper faces 0r corrugations of the side plates and are bent down over the plates as shown at 9 and are secured by a series of closely fitting clips 8 and rivets 10 passing through the summits only of the roof sheet corrugations, so that the valleys may have no perforations whatever. A similar construction is need at the highest or middle line of .the roof where the rivets are covered by the running board blocks 2. Preferably in both situations the parts have at the fastening points-upwardly extending centrally perforated bosses 11 which divert water, allow relative movements of the plates while transmitting strains from one to the other, and lessen the strains .on the rivets. In place of riveting these as an parts together at the points of rivetsw, I may elecload will be carried by the summits of the corrugations and not at all in the valleys and the valleys are so shaped that the heels of a person walking on the roof are not likely to be able to indent the roof at any point near the bottom of the valleys. With an ordinary plate roof an indentation however small, produces a little pool for the assembling of various substances and also induces corrosion at this indentation faster than is likely tooccur on the other surfaces of the roof. The steep incline of my corrugations at the summits of the corrugations and down the side toward the valleys, is such that the metal is in a form to greatly resist any indentation from the weight of a mans body or the contact of anything which may be thrown upon the roof. Further my roof can sufier rather serious indentations on the summits and sides of the corrugations and yet the sides of these indentations will remain of such a pitch that the moisture will drain out from them and thus they will not become spots for the inducement of corrosion.

The clips 8, occur at such intervals as to sheets bind the side plates together in the same manner as do the ordinary carlines heretofore used. But I may, when desired, use trus rods 13, which extend across the car and form as it were the, lower chordof a truss wherein the roof sheets form, the arch or chord. The rods 13, are supported at their middle by the eye bolts 14, which may also form the bolt which fastens the block '2, for the running board to the summits of my roof sheet corrugations (see Figs. 1, 4 and In Fig. 18, I show the rod 13, covered over by sheet metal plate 15. which in conjunc tion with the rod 13, makes a form of steel carline. The purpose of sheet 15 is to close roof sheet and to prevent the fastening of the space between the top of the rod and the tackle to the rods 13 by the people who load and unload the cars.

hen the several pieces of the roof sheet are joined. I prefer to have the clip SeXte-n'd clear across the car as is indicated by 16, Figs. 2 and 22 and on the inside I prefer to run the strip 17 and rivet through at intervais as indicated at 18, thus making a secure joint between the several pieces of the roof sheet.

-To guard against any faulty joints be tween the pieces of roof sheet which might permit a leak were snow to obstruct 'the valleys so that water would collect therein and flow, between the laps, over the ridges, I provide an escape channel 19, Figs. 13, 17, 18, 22, formed by a bend in the mar ginal portion of the overlapping portion of the' roof sheet.

' In my preferred form of construction shown by Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the side plate covers the side frame of the car so that the roof proper is about a foot narrower than in ordinary construction; whereby a material savingis effected. This making the side plate frame a part of the roof has another advantage in "the fact that car roofs are often injured by side swipes when the. car

comes in contact, as it often does, with othercars and withbuildings in passing in and out of sidingsgiand thus with my preferred form of construction the side swipe is taken up by the side plates which are much stronger to resist injuries than is the ordinary margin of'a car roof. Many car roofs are injured and their destruction occasioned bv slight injuries induced by side swipes.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, I so make the side plate 20, that the fluted or corrugated edge 21, to which the roof sheets are attached, projects outward from the car side in such manner that water that might pass through and along the rivets 22, through the clips 23, and ends 24, of the roof sheets would pass down outside of the car and would permit a. less careful fasteningatthe summits of the corrugations with the side plates than is permissible with the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In Figs. 6 and 7 the side posts or framing posts of the car are indicated by 25,and 26 is the -flange of the side plate fastened to the posts. 7

In the construction shown in Fig. 10,- I form the side plate 27, with its horizontal section 28 extending inward with flange 29 extending downward in contact with the posts or side framing 30 of the car, and also make the clips 31, which cover the joints of the roof sheets with the summits of the corrugations-of the side plates, longer than the clips 8 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and rivet these clips 31 both at the top 32 and at the vertical ends 33 makinga double fastening at these points. Where the rods 13 pass through, each acts in place of a rivet In Figs. 8 and 9 where wooden side plates 34 are indicated, a pressed metal member 35 forms a corrugated edge to which I fasten my roof sheets 3, and I may use, with this fluted or corrugated strip 35, the clips 8 or clips 31, as I See lit. The member or press ing 35 is provided with a flange 36 which extends vertically alongside the top edge of the wooden side plate 34 and I continue the metal of flange 35, horizontally as indicated by 37, across the top of the wood sheathing 39, and down the side of the sheathing as is indicated by the flange 38, and I bolt there, this flange 38 with bolts 40, which fasten the member or pressing to the side plates. On that section of the car where is found the track for the car door as is indicated by 41, I extend the flange 38 over to cover the edge of the top of the track as is indicated at 42, thus guarding against Water trickling down between the sheathing 39, and the door track, 41.

42 indicates the door and 43 the roller of the door hanger,'-14.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 45 indicates the door, l6 the hangers and 47 the hanger rollers.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the construction shown is what is known as outside steel framing with inside sheathing: 48 indicates'the inside sheathing and 49, the outside metallic vertical and inclined framing, and the angle corner post is indicated by 58; sheathing being bolted to bolts, 50.

Instead of a uniform depth for the corrugations on the roof sheets across the entire width of the car, I may make these-corrugations deeper at the middle and shallower at the junction'with the side plates; see Fig. 15, where 51 indicates the shallow corrugation and 52 the deeper, and the merit of this construction is that I get considerabledepth at the center of the arch of the roof where needed and save to some extent the severity of the stretch of the metal of the side plate in forming the corrugated, or fluted edge of the side plate or metal stamping 35 to make it fit the corrugated sheets. To assist in less suing the stretch of metal in forming the fluted or corrugated flange 5 of the plate 6 of side plate 1, or pressing 35, I may flatten the curve at the corner as indicated by 53, on the summits of the corners, (see Fig. 16) leaving the valley undisturbed.

In Fig. 1'7, I show a carline 54, made of a pressed steel piece or by other suitable -means, having the upper portion 55, fit the inside of the summits of one of the roof sheet corrugations and having the end projections 56, which are secured by bolts 57, to plate 6 of side plate I. This sort of carline with my roof will be used chiefly, if at all, on each side of the door in the frame where the framing is weakest owing to the door apertures.

What I claim is: 1. The combination with a. car having angle iron side plates each with a vertical web and a laterally extending upper flange corrugated in lines transverse with respect-to the car, of a metal rodf sheet extending the framing by the:

aorossthe' car and having transverse corrugation's 'which near each lateral margin of the=='sheet' fit and rest-in the corresponding corrugations off said flanges, respectively andfare secured thereto.

2. The combination with a car having angle-iron side plates each with a vertical web and a laterally extending upper flange corrugat'ed in lines'transverse with respect to the car, of a corrugated metal roof sheet extending across the car and having its lateral marginalportions fitting'the corrugations of-said flanges and bent'downward in conjtacti-with the outer faces of said webs, re-

spectiyely.

3;"The combination with a car having angle iron side plates, each with a vertical web and a laterally extending upper flange cor- 'rugated transversely with respect to the car,

ofa corrugated metal roof sheet extending across the car and fitting in the corrugations of the flanges, andnarrow relatively heavy spectively, clips fitting'over the summits ofv the roof sheet corrugations, respectively, and extending downward "along said webs, riv

amass;

ets securing the clips, roof sheet and flanges, together,.and other rivets securing the down-- wardly extending portions of the clips, re

spectively, to'the veorresponding webs.

5. The combination with a car, of angle iron side plates adapted to be secured to the upper sides of the cars lateral Walls and each having a vertical web with a sinuous upper margin integral with a lateral flange corrugated transversely with respe ctJto the car, a metal roof sheet with corrugations extending across the car and on each side fitting the corrugations of'the corresponding flange and with its marginal portions bent downward along the sinuous margin of the webs outer faces, respectively, whereby the roof sheet everywhere closely fits the surface of the side plate which it overlaps, and means for securing the summits of the roof sheetcorrugations to the flanges upon which they rest.

6. The combination withametal carroof corrugated transversely with respect to the car, of side plate members fitting the corrugations and secured to the roof at the summits only of the corrugations, clips covering the points of attachment and extending down over the outer faces of the side plates,

and rods-each tying a clip to its companion .on the opposite side of the car.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name this 3rd day of April, 1914, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses WILLIAM ERAS'I'US WILLIAMS;

Witnesses: i I

B. CONRATH, AUGUST GRmcnnas. r 

